Academic Adjustment, Perceived Social Support and Psychological Well-being of International Students in Hungary

Abstract

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The present study investigated the relationship between academic adjustment, perceived social support, and psychological well-being of international students enrolled in higher education institutions in Hungary. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between academic adjustment, perceived social support, and psychological well-being and that academic adjustment and perceived social support would positively predict psychological well-being in international students. Furthermore, perceived social support will likely strengthen the relationship between academic adjustment and psychological well-being. The sample consisted of 153 international students enrolled in five public universities in Hungary using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The age range of students was 18-35 years (M= 24.54, SD= 4.1). The scales used were the Academic Adjustment Scale (AAS; Anderson et al., 2016), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet et al., 1988), and Ryffs’ Psychological Well-being Scale (RPSWS; Ryff, 1989). Pearson product-moment correlation and hierarchical regression were used for analysis. Results revealed that there was a positive correlation between academic adjustment, perceived social support, and psychological well-being. It also revealed that both academic adjustment and perceived social support were positive predictors of psychological well-being. Furthermore, perceived social support moderated the relationship between academic adjustment and psychological well-being positively. The findings of present study highlight the importance of efficient measures for academic adjustment and provision of effective social support for the well-being of international students in a foreign environment.